Views of a Romance
by Luthina
Summary: With every year, Astoria gets closer to the object of her affection: Draco Malfoy.
1. Years One and Two

**Views of a Romance**

**Years One and Two**

Astoria was terrified. She slowly walked toward the stool, her feet feeling like lead. She sat down and the scene in front of her slowly turned to black as Professor McGonagall lowered the Sorting Hat over her head.

Her family was a Slytherin family. Her mother and father had been in Slytherin and her sister, Daphne was sitting at the table, waiting for Astoria to join her. It wasn't long before a voice sounded inside her head.

"A Slytherin, it seems," the hat said to her.

_Please, _Astoria begged. _Please put me in Slytherin._

"You want to be like the rest of your family?" the hat asked.

_Yes. Please put me in Slytherin!_

"If it is what you wish," the hat conceded, and announced her placement in the house.

Astoria leapt from the stool and went running toward the table on the right, where her housemates were clapping politely upon her arrival. Astoria looked for Daphne, hoping there was an empty seat next to her, but saw her settled in the middle of a big group of her friends. They were talking and laughing and Astoria realized with a start that her sister hadn't even watched the sorting. Slowly, the young girl walked up to her sister and pulled on her robe.

"Daph?"

Her sister looked over at her little sister, irritated that she had been interrupted. Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"I'm a Slytherin," Astoria told her. The words sounded weak coming out of her mouth. After all the nights she had stayed up, worried that she would be sorted into Hufflepuff, being sorted into Slytherin was no big deal. Daphne shrugged and turned back to her friends.

Astoria hung her head in shame and walked to the front of the table to sit with the other first years. At least here, being sorted into Slytherin was worth celebrating. These students were enjoying the feast, filling themselves on meat and pumpkin juice and sharing stories passed down from older witches.

"Potions is easy," one boy told Astoria. "The professor favors us as it is, so you don't have to be too good to do well."

She nodded her head but kept her gaze on plate, still upset from her sister's disregard. When the two were smaller, they had been the best of friends. Their two year age gap was a small detail. Something had changed when Daphne went off to Hogwarts, leaving Astoria alone. The girl had hoped that when she was able to join her sister in the Great Hall, they could be friends again. She had dreams of them staying up late in the Slytherin common room, gossiping about their classmates and laughing well into the morning hours. After being in Slytherin for only five minutes, those dreams were dashed and replaced with a feeling of loneliness that Astoria couldn't seem to overcome.

There were three other girls sorted in with her. They were all came off as very confident and Astoria felt out of place. Everyone seemed happy to be at Hogwarts, but Astoria wanted to go home. She plastered a fake smile on her face and pretended to listen to Dominic's predictions of what the next seven years would hold.

When everyone stood to go see their new dorm for the first time, Astoria followed, dragging her feet.

"Tori!"

The young girl's ears perked up at her sister's voice. Daphne was in the front of the crowd with her friends. The tall witches and wizards around her looked impatient, ready to head to their dormitories and unpack. Astoria hurried to catch up with them.

"Mom told me to walk to the Common Room with you your first time. Try to keep up."

Daphne turned on her heel and started walking out of the Great Hall, still surrounded by her friends. Astoria walked behind them, grateful to be with Daphne's friends instead of the smug first years she had had dinner with. The girls giggled and tittered, but the boys were silent.

Astoria recognized Daphne's good friend Pansy among the girls. Pansy had come to the Greengrass house a few times to visit with Daphne since they had begun school. Pansy had never been nice to Astoria and Astoria didn't like her at all. There was a boy walking next to her, looking as bored as the other men. His blonde hair fell across his forehead, almost touching his eyes. His hands were in his pockets and his eyes were on the floor.

Pansy laughed at a joke Daphne had made and put her hand on the boy's elbow. "That is a riot, isn't it Draco?"

Draco turned his head to look at the girls and Astoria was able to study his face. He had sharp features and smooth pale skin. Her heart jumped in her chest just to look at him.

"Oh, yes. Just a riot," he replied before resuming his diligent watch of the floor.

Astoria kept her eyes on Draco for the rest of their walk. While the other boys smirked at the girls conversations, Draco's face remained stoic. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and didn't seem to care about what Daphne and Pansy were saying. The young girl was taking in all of the details of Draco's appearance. She almost tripped on a few uneven stones in the dungeons because she was so engrossed in studying his shoes.

When they arrived at their Common Room entrance, Draco hurried quickly to the men's dorms, leaving Pansy and the gossiping girls to themselves. Astoria shook her head, trying to clear the older blonde boy from her thoughts. Her efforts were in vain.

* * *

Coming back to Hogwarts for her second year didn't carry near as much stress as the first. Astoria was firmly in Slytherin and even had friends to sit with at the opening feast. Emmalina had come off as arrogant at first, but Astoria realized that all the first years were equally nervous to see how their first year would go. The two girls were fast friends and shared everything together. Astoria knew that Emmalina had kissed a Ravenclaw boy two years older than them at the end of the year before. Emmalina knew Astoria had hexed Daphne's knickers to itch after she had been rude to her younger sister over the summer. Astoria knew Emmalina's parents were disappointed she had not been a male heir and her younger brother, Hartley, was the favored child. Most importantly, Emmalina knew Astoria had a huge crush on Draco Malfoy, even though she had never spoken to him.

The two girls were sitting in the library together in the middle of November. They had an essay due for McGonagall's class and were trying to finish quickly so they could join their fellow housemates in a game of Exploding Snap before retiring for the night.

"Done," Emmalina proclaimed, slamming her book shut with a triumphant smile.

Astoria sighed. She still had seven inches to write before she could consider ending her essay. Transfiguration had never been her best subject while Emmalina seemed to excel in everything.

"Go ahead back to the Common Room," Astoria told her friend. "I'll be a while. Leave the book so I can use it. I'll put it back."

Emmalina hesitated for a second, before nodding and collecting her things. After so much time together, Emmalina had learned that Astoria didn't want her help. Astoria preferred to do her own work on her own time than to have Emmalina feed her answers.

"I'll wait up for you," Emmalina promised before hurrying back to the Common Room to play with her housemates. Knowing Emmalina, she would probably win.

Astoria looked back to her essay and sighed again, wishing she could be as bright as her best friend. She turned to the book Emmalina had left on the table and began flipping through it, looking for information she could use in her essay.

Forty minutes later, Astoria closed the book with a sense of finality and pride. She collected her inkwell, quill, and parchment in her bag and went to put the large volume back on the shelf. She walked quickly, trying to get back to the Common Room with enough time to play one round of Exploding Snap before she needed to get to sleep.

Moving at a quick pace, Astoria didn't bother to look before rounding a corner. She collided with someone taller than her; someone with a firm chest that knocked her backwards and onto the floor. She cursed under the breath and moved to collect the parchment and books that had fallen out of her bag when she fell. Once collected, Astoria stood, the large volume on Transfiguration clutched in her hands. When she saw who she had run into, she almost dropped it again.

Draco Malfoy stood there, his face blank. He hadn't moved since Astoria crashed into him, here merely watched her as she struggled to regain her composure. His grey eyes seemed to pierce her soul.

"You should be more careful, Greengrass," he warned her. "Some people might not understand if you try to knock them over."

Astoria was stunned into silence as her face turned red. This was not the way she had imagined first trading words with Draco Malfoy. In her head, she would be dressed in a beautiful ball gown and he would be in his dress robes, escorting her to a dance. Astoria would see Daphne's face in shock that she, the younger sister, had landed the most desired man in Slytherin. Instead, Astoria had nearly knocked him off his feet and she we was looking disheveled and was unable to speak.

"Sorry," Astoria was finally able to murmur under her breath, eyes cast down. "I need to put this book away…" She trailed off, realizing her excuses sounded insignificant.

Draco raised an eyebrow, considering her. After a moment, he nodded. "Be on your way then, Astoria."

She raised her gaze to meet his eye for only a second before she scurried past him to the shelf she needed to put the book on. Astoria headed off to the Slytherin Common room at a brisk pace. She desperately wanted to talk to Emmalina and tell her what had just happened. Not only had she spoken to Draco for the first time and touched his chest, but he knew her name. The way it sounded in his voice was echoing in her head over and over.

"_Astoria. Astoria. Astoria."_

* * *

**A/N-** Hey guys! I hope you like this so far. It will be three chapters long, covering Astoria's first six years at Hogwarts. Please take note that this will get more and more graphic as she grows up. For those of you on my Author Alerts, I posted this earlier but removed it to make some edits. It's up for good now! Thanks, and please review!


	2. Years Three and Four

**Views of a Romance**

**Years Three and Four**

The letter Astoria held in her hands began to shake as her hands trembled in furry. The letter was from her father, threatening to take away her owl if her grades in Transfiguration did not improve. It was true that Astoria had accidentally turned a teacup into a spider instead of a kettle during her last examination, but the spider had been very well formed. Add that to the fact she had done poorly on the essay McGonagall had assigned over the summer, and Astoria's grade in the class was unrecoverable. It was not the best way to start her third year.

Astoria knew who had told her father. There was only one person who would tell him, knowing he would get angry and implement a punishment.

_Daphne._

Astoria should have seen this coming. It was three days ago that she had transfigured the teacup wrong. She and Emmalina were sitting at the Slytherin table for lunch right after class and Astoria was almost in tears. Emmalina was trying to comfort her friend, offering to help her on the next test.

"I'm sure you can still pass the class," Emmalina reassured. "Failing one test doesn't have to ruin your grade for the rest of the year. I'm sure McGonagall will pass you if you can do well on the next essay."

The two girls heard a laugh behind them and turned to see Daphne standing there, arms crossed with a smirk on her lips.

"Failing Transfiguration, are we?" she asked in a haughty tone. "I'm sure that might be of interest to some people."

Astoria's eyes flashed in anger. Her sister had been at her throat since Astoria had started at Hogwarts. Any hope the young girl had at repairing their relationship was finished. The two were only out to get each other.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh really?" Daphne teased. "I think I would." With that, she turned and walked out of the Great Hall. That was when Astoria started to shake with anger. Receiving a letter from her father three days later only continued her rage-filled tremors.

Astoria stood and turned from the breakfast in front of her.

"I'll meet you in class," she yelled over her shoulder to Emmalina as she headed off to find Daphne.

Not knowing where else to look, Astoria headed to the dungeons, hoping to find her sister in the her dormitory. Daphne had always been slow in the mornings, missing breakfast many times because of her snoozing. Astoria was hoping she could catch her sister sleeping. It would make it much easier to hex her.

The Common Room was empty, so Astoria headed to the fifth-year girls dormitory, wand in hand and ready to hex Daphne. In her anger, she didn't notice the Slytherin tie hanging on the door knob as she busted into the room, the door banging loudly. In retrospect, the tie should have been a sign of what was coming.

Daphne was not in her dormitory. There were, however, two other people in the room on a bed angled toward the door. Astoria could see Pansy's pale shoulders and red bra. Her shirt was thrown over the side of the bed and her skirt was hiked up. She was kneeling over a boy whose belt she held in her hand. His hand was on Pansy's thigh, sliding upward and out of sight under her skirt. His shirt was off, too, and Astoria's eyes lingered on his toned chest for a second before moving down his body to where his open fly showed a mound of what was hidden underneath. Astoria was still unable to see his face but, from the way Pansy froze, Astoria could tell both of them were as surprised at the interruption as she was to see them.

"Get out!" Pansy shrieked, diving behind the bed so as to keep her dignity.

Astoria couldn't move. Her eyes were wide and her mouth agape in shock. It felt like her shoes weighted one hundred pounds because she couldn't seem to take control of her feet. The boy got off of the bed and moved toward her. She was staring into the glare of none other than Draco Malfoy. His biceps were pulsing in anger and his scowl caused Astoria to tremble in fright. He roughly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, pushing Astoria out of the door.

He pressed himself against her back to be sure she would continue out the door. Astoria was reminded of the day a year before when she had run into his chest. This time, however, she could feel the warmth radiating off of him.

"You saw _nothing_," he hissed in her ear as he closed the door.

She stood outside the door to her sister's dormitory, blinking for a few moments, trying to take in what she had just witnessed. Three things stuck out to Astoria: she had just seen Draco Malfoy's bare chest, Pansy Parkinson was luckier than every girl in the school, and he had _touched_ her. Daphne completely forgotten, Astoria hurried back to the Great Hall, determined to tell Emmalina what had just happened.

* * *

By fourth year, Astoria recognized that her chances with Draco were slim at best. She was young and inexperienced while he oozed confidence in every aspect of his life. There were very few circumstances in which he would choose her over the other girls he could get.

It was by that logic that she found herself in the situation she was in now. When Blaise offered to spike her Pumpkin Juice at the Halloween banquet, Astoria figured it was an experience she needed to have. Blaise had a thing for Emmalina and Astoria figured this would be his excuse to finally make a move. She and Emmalina were giggling to themselves after two glasses, but Blaise kept pouring with a heavy hand. Four glasses in, Astoria's inhibitions were down farther than they had ever been. Most of the older students were a little drunk by the end of the feast and the party only continued back in the Slytherin Common Room.

It didn't take twenty minutes for Blaise to get his arm around Emmalina and five minutes later, he had his tongue in her mouth. Astoria didn't mind, she was having a lovely conversation with Gregory Goyle about owls.

"We'll be in the dormitory," Emmalina whispered in Astoria's ear a few minutes later. "Knock before you come in." With a giggle, Emmalina stood and practically dragged a grinning Blaise toward their dormitory.

Astoria turned back to continue her conversation with Gregory and realized he was gone too. A momentary panic came over her as she realized how alone she was. While she was contemplating sleeping on the couch that night, Astoria felt a weight sit down on the couch next to her.

"Is this taken?" She turned her head to see the handsome face of Theodore Nott looking her over.

Astoria couldn't help but let out a small giggle, the alcohol still having control over her body. "Not at all."

Theodore's face relaxed into a smile. "Are you all alone here?" he asked, indicating the vacant couch. "Emmalina's otherwise preoccupied?"

She let out a sigh. "Yes, yes. She won't be back for a little while." Astoria was all too aware of her own inexperience compared with Emmalina. With her luscious curves and shining hair, Emmalina had attracted a lot of attention, even from the older boys. As best friends, Astoria was privy to all the juicy details of her interactions with these boys. No doubt tomorrow morning would be a full recount of what was going on with Blaise at the moment.

Theodore nodded. "So you'll be free to talk then?" His voice was low and soft, letting Astoria think he didn't want anyone else to be aware of their conversation. She giggled again, unable to suppress the urge, and nodded. Theodore threw his arm around her shoulder, causing Astoria to tense.

"Relax, girl," he said in the same low voice. "I'm not here to hurt you. Let's just talk about Quidditch."

Over the next half hour, they did have a wonderful conversation about Quidditch, quills, and Slytherin's chance at the house cup. Of course, there was a bit of gossip thrown in.

"What do the boys your year say about Emmalina?" Astoria asked with curiosity. She knew the boys in her year thought she was gorgeous and wanted to date her. Emmalina, however, liked the older boys better, saying they were better kissers.

Theodore shrugged. "She's easy. We don't have to do much to get with her. Draco didn't even have to say anything to her to get her alone."

Despite the effects of the alcohol, Astoria reacted quickly to this news. She sat up straight and looked at Theodore with shock. "She was with Draco?" Astoria couldn't believe her best friend wouldn't tell her _that_ story. Emmalina knew how much Astoria pined after Draco. Astoria didn't know if she could forgive her best friend throwing herself at the object of Astoria's affection, much less not sharing the details about it.

Again, Theodore shrugged. "About a month ago," he said. "It's not a big deal. They didn't have sex or anything." Astoria was still, feeling hurt and betrayed. She couldn't believe Emmalina would do that. Theodore's brow furrowed as he studied her tense reaction. "You fancy him or something?"

"What? No," Astoria responded quickly, hoping she sounded believable.

Theodore nodded knowingly before his face relaxed and he reached over and touched her hand. "They say good things about you."

"What?" Astoria was still lost in thoughts of Emmalina and Draco intertwined. She tried to concentrate on what Theodore was saying.

"The boys in my year, they say good things about you." He voice was low again. "They say you're the prettier of the Greengrass sisters, and by far the best mannered. If it weren't for Emmalina, we'd be chasing after you."

Astoria couldn't help but blush. A boy had never paid her a compliment before, yet alone a string of them.

"They think you're a tough nut to crack," he continued. "But that once you are cracked, so to speak, the prize would be worth the fight."

She didn't stop him when he kissed her. It felt good to be desired and Astoria realized this must be the feeling Emmalina chased. It wouldn't kill her to live it up just this once. This was how she found herself in the broom closet, her shirt unbuttoned with her hands cupping Theodore's ass as he traced his tongue along her cleavage. Thoughts of Emmalina and Draco were being replaced by thoughts of herself with Theodore that could take place later that night.

Once they had figured out the logistics of being in a broom closet, Theodore had begun touching her in ways she had only imagined being touched before. His hand had intertwined itself in her hair while he pressed his chest flush against hers. At first, Astoria was embarrassed that she could feel his erection pressed into her thigh, but she had begun to feel the power trip that came with knowing she was the one who caused him to react that way. The manner in which he kissed her while kneading her breasts caused a sensation that was more than she had expected and with a satisfied sigh she involuntarily pressed her pelvis into his. Theodore had stumbled a bit, tripping over an old quaffle.

It wasn't an ideal location, but Gregory had passed out in the sixth year boys' dorms and Emmalina had yet to emerge from the fourth year girls' dormitory. Astoria figured it was private enough.

She was proven wrong only seconds later when the door opened. The light rushed in and blinded the two of them so they could only see the outline of the person standing in the doorway. He (or at least Astoria assumed it was a he) stood still, just watching as Astoria hastily pulled her shirt back on and did a few buttons.

"Not the best location you could choose," said a familiar voice. Astoria looked up in horror to realize that no other than Draco Malfoy was looking back at them.

"You could have given us some warning, Draco," Theodore said with a frown. "Things were going quite well before you busted in."

"I'm looking for Blaise," Draco said, his eyes roaming over Astoria's wrinkled shirt and flustered appearance. "Do you know where he is?"

"My.. my dormitory," Astoria managed to stutter out.

Draco nodded, his eyes never leaving her chest. "Right. Enjoy your evening." He flashed them a smirk before closing the broom closet door. Theodore turned to face Astoria.

"That's it, isn't it?" he asked, his face unchanging. Astoria stared back, unable to speak and unmoving. Theodore nodded. "I figured. I won't tell him how you feel." His eyes turned downward and slight disappointment crossed his features. "Well, good night then."

He turned and left the closet, leaving Astoria alone inside. After a few moments of recovery, she re-buttoned her shirt and left for her dorm room, knowing that whatever had been happening inside had been interrupted suddenly. Astoria was considering whether she should confront Emmalina about Draco when she had a startling realization: Draco Malfoy had seen her in her bra with one of his friends. Her face flushed red and she prayed that he didn't think she was a hussy like Emmalina. Or at least that he liked what he saw.

* * *

**A/N-** I hope you are enjoying! I would like to send a special thanks to **oh nargles**and **rainbowspring** for adding this to their story alerts! Please let me know what you all think, I have yet to get reviews! As promised, this will be more and more intimate as the story progresses. I've almost finished the last two vignettes, so they will be up shortly! Take care!


	3. Years Five and Six

**Views of a Romance**

**Years Five and Six**

Her fifth year should have been the happiest of Astoria's time at Hogwarts so far. With Snape and the Carrows in charge, Slytherin's could do no wrong. Alecto was a good friend of Astoria's mother so she and Daphne were favored more than the rest, giving them a free ride in classes and the ability to leniently interpret all school rules. There was, however, one lingering thought in Astoria's mind that made enjoying the year difficult: _Where is Draco?_

He hadn't come back to school for this, his final year, and Astoria worried about his safety. Blaise told them all at the beginning of the term that Draco was doing the Dark Lord's bidding, making his family and their house proud. That didn't help calm Astoria's nerves at all.

The only person who knew that Astoria was anxious for news of Draco's safety was Emmalina. The relationship between the two girls was tense for a while the year before, but Astoria had put her anger behind her. Emmalina had kept her encounter with Draco a secret, so Astoria kept her night with Theodore a secret as well. They were even. And Theodore had been a gentleman and kept his mouth shut about what had happened between himself and Astoria. He never told Draco, but every once in a while, Astoria caught him talking to Draco and glancing in her direction, making the hair on her neck stand on end.

But that had stopped this year with Draco gone and Blaise as the new 'it' boy of Slytherin. Fortunately, Blaise didn't hold the same sway over Astoria that Draco had. For once, she didn't have to live in fear of acting like a fool in front of him. She just had to worry that he might die in the coming war.

It was a particularly boring day in January the next time Astoria heard any news about Draco or his whereabouts. She had been up late in the Common Room finishing an essay for McGonagall. Transfiguration was still a weak point for Astoria and McGonagall seemed to be grading the Slytherins a little more harshly than she had before. Perhaps it was to make up for the easy grades they all got from the Carrows in Muggle Studies.

When she'd finally finished her essay, Astoria put her things in her dorm room and went to take a quick shower, hoping to relax for a while before going to sleep. It was about when she was rinsing her hair that Astoria remembered she had left her textbook in the Common Room. She had only brought her towel with her to the showers but since she was sure she had been the last person out of the Common Room, Astoria decided to run in really quick to grab her book dressed only in her towel.

Astoria stepped out of the shower and toweled her hair dry before wrapping the small pink towel around her body. It had never bothered her before that it barely covered her ass, but she was painfully aware of it now. Assuring herself there would be no one else in the Common Room, Astoria adventured out of the bathroom to find her Transfiguration book.

To be sure no one saw her, Astoria decided to leave the light off. She was familiar enough with the space that she could maneuver without light. Or at least, she thought she could. Astoria wasn't even half way to her book when she tripped on something and fell on her face.

"Fuck!" she cursed as quietly as she could muster, not wanting to draw a crowd.

"_Lumous._"

The wand light was bright enough for Astoria to see the face of its castor. Of course she hadn't accounted for Draco Malfoy's outstretched legs on her path to her textbook. She was staring at him in shock while his eyes combed over her scantily clad form. Astoria looked down and realized in a moment of horror that her towel had moved during her fall, leaving her entire right breast exposed, along with her left thigh all the way up to her hip. Hastily, she pulled the towel down to cover her pelvis and up to hide her nipple.

"Didn't see me?" Draco asked with amusement in his voice. Astoria had lost her voice in shock and embarrassment and wasn't even able to stammer out a response. "Quite the attire for a midnight stroll," he continued with a smirk.

"You…you're here," she finally was able to get out.

"Wonderful observation, Astoria," Draco responded in a haughty tone.

She took a second to gather herself and stood, tightly clutching the towel to her chest. "Blaise said you were off working for the Dark Lord," she continued, her voice finally even.

He smiled. "I am."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Blaise. We meet here every once in a while. He'll be around shortly."

Astoria was relieved to see him. As much as she tried to not worry about him, her thoughts frequently turned to his well-being. "What's it like?" She knew this was not the most opportune time for a conversation, given her lack of proper garments, but her curiosity got the best of her. She sat down on the edge of the couch, making sure to cross her legs before Draco could see anything. Nevertheless, his eyes traveled up her thigh causing her to squirm.

He shrugged, as if working for the most powerful dark wizard in history was nothing special. "It's dull most of the time. A lot of sitting around, listening to my Aunt Bellatrix go on and on about Potter. It's been quite lonely actually."

"Lonely?" Astoria hadn't expected that adjective to describe being one of the Dark Lord's many followers. She had assumed they were all congregated together, plotting how to take down Potter.

"Mmm," Draco responded, keeping his gaze on her thigh. "It's strange being out of school with everyone here. I spend a lot of time with my family. It doesn't leave a lot of time for anything _enjoyable_." His smirk made Astoria blush as she averted his gaze.

"You came to catch up with Blaise then?"

"Yes," he responded slowly. "I had some business to attend to with Headmaster Snape as well, so I'm just sticking around to pay Blaise a visit." His eyes never left her exposed thighs and Astoria fidgeted uncomfortably, very aware of every imperfection she fretted over.

"You've changed," he said in a very matter-of-fact tone.

Her eyes darted up, meeting his. "How?" She was curious.

"You don't look a thing like your sister anymore. Your hair is darker, your eyes brighter, and your figure…" He let himself trail off as he looked her up and down again.

She shifted, taken aback by his bluntness. Draco had always had a reputation as a smooth talker, but this was the first time Astoria had been on the receiving end of it. She felt flattered, but was unsure of how to respond. She could feel a blush heat her face but couldn't help the smile on her lips.

"So how did you wind up in the Common Room so late at night, with no lights on, wearing only a towel?" Draco reclined in the armchair he was sitting in, creating a relaxed feeling between the two of them.

"I forgot my Transfiguration book here and I only remembered when I was in the shower." Astoria shrugged. It was an honest mistake she had made and there was no way to account for Draco's presence in the room.

"That there?" Draco asked, cocking his head toward her book, sitting on the table where she had been working. She nodded.

Draco stood up and walked over to the table, collecting Astoria's textbook and moved to give it back to her. When Astoria reached out to take the book, her towel fell again, exposing her chest. The book tumbled to the ground and Astoria fumbled with her towel and clutched it to her chest, her bare back exposed. Draco's smirk reemerged. He bent down, keeping his eyes on hers, and picked up the textbook.

"Not what you expected to see this time of night, is it Blaise?"

Astoria rounded on her heel to see Blaise Zabini standing behind her with a grin on his face. "I'll say."

"This is a nice angle," Draco joked. Astoria realized she had left her bare bum to face him when she'd turned around to face Blaise and quickly tried to cover herself with the towel. After a moment of struggling, she was finally able to get the towel wrapped securely around herself, clutching it at her chest with one hand. With the other, she reached toward Draco.

"My book, please." She tried to keep her voice clam, but she knew her face was blushed and her knees were trembling. He handed it over with a smile.

"With pleasure, Astoria. _Any_ time."

With her book firmly in hand, Astoria marched back to her dorm. She'd never been so embarrassed before in her life. She had not only been caught naked in the Common Room, but was caught by the one boy she wanted to see naked more than anything. This would be a good story for Emmalina in the morning.

* * *

"Just do it," Emmalina whispered to Astoria. "What's the harm? If he says no, he's still sitting alone, and you at least got to talk to him."

The two girls were sitting in the library. Even though it was their sixth year and NEWTs were still a year away, the professors had piled on more work than ever. It seemed that they hadn't learned anything in their fifth year due to the sad state of school management and the professors were trying to pack two years of material into one term. Everyone was feeling the pressure.

School had changed a lot this year. There were very few Slytherins left. Most had not returned after the Battle of Hogwarts. Many parents had gone into hiding and taken their children with them. Aristoria was glad that Emmalina had come back. They were the only girls left in their dormitory, so it felt like a sleepover every night. One person no one had expected to return had: Draco Malfoy. He had never taken the classes for his seventh year and he was completing them now. No one would talk to him. The other houses blamed him for the war and their fellow Slytherins called him a traitor. As a consequence, he kept very much to himself. Astoria always made a point to greet him in the mornings, but he never responded with more than a curt nod.

She was glad he was back and safe. No matter how much she tried, she still cared for him. But this was her last year with him; her last chance to get him to notice her. Well, notice her without having to flash him.

She looked over to the table where Draco sat alone in the corner reading. She took a deep breath to gather her courage and stood up. "Okay, I'll do it."

Emmalina smiled with pride as Astoria picked up her books and walked over to Draco's table. He looked up only long enough to see who it was before returning to his book.

"May I sit here?" she asked, hoping her voice didn't tremble. Draco waved his hand in a manner that expressed his indifference and Astoria took a seat. She pulled out her Transfigurations book and buried her nose in it, trying to hide her red face long enough to calm down.

Once she had collected herself, she laid the book flat and looked into Draco's face. It seemed thinner than when she had seen him in the Common Room the year before. She realized he had probably been under a lot of stress between the death of his aunt and the trials his parents had been called to attend. Their compliance with the Ministry had made the punishment of the Malfoys less severe than most, but everyone knew that they were a ruined family. Daphne had warned Astoria that she would be doing their family a disfavor by ever being seen with him. Astoria hadn't listened to Daphne since she started at Hogwarts, and this was not the time to start again.

"It's good you came back to finish school," she said quietly. "It makes it a lot easier to find a job." Emmalina and told Astoria that this was probably the best way to approach a conversation with him. It was neutral and gave him the option to open conversation or not.

Draco looked up and slowly closed his book. He folded his hands over the cover and focused his gaze on Astoria, causing her to squirm.

"I didn't choose to come back, Astoria," he began slowly in a whisper. "My mother told me I had to. She thought it would look better to the Ministry, and it gives them a good way of tracking where I am. With McGonagall watching over me, the Ministry trusts I'll behave."

Astoria looked down, feeling she had brought up an incredibly delicate topic. She had not wanted to bring up a sensitive subject and felt her face blush in embarrassment.

"I'm going back to the Common Room," Draco announced, gathering his books.

Astoria panicked that she had caused him enough grief that he wanted to leave her. "Already?" she asked.

Draco nodded. "I've finished reading what I needed to. I'm going to rest for a while before dinner.

Astoria's panicked glance went to Emmalina. The girl shot her a glance that Astoria knew meant, 'Go with him!'

"I'll walk with you," Astoria blurted out. Draco raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I've finished my reading, too. It might be nice to close my eyes a while before dinner."

Draco didn't respond but turned to leave the library. Astoria hurried to stay next to him as he went off at a brisk pace. Because Astoria was almost running to keep up with him and on the uneven dungeon hallway, she tripped. Of course she knew about the uneven bricks, but in her hurry to keep up with Draco, she had forgotten and found herself hurdling toward the floor.

The impact never came. Draco caught her before she hit the ground and she became instantly aware of how close his face was to hers.

"This is becoming a bad habit, Astoria," he said in a low voice, still suspending her above the floor. "Four years ago you run into me in the library and fall over and last year you trip over my feet wearing only a towel. You'll need to stop this before it elevates to something you don't want."

He pulled her upright and took a step back to let her brush herself off. She knew it was best not to push her luck, but this could be her last chance to get Draco to notice her. "How do you know what I want?" She hoped her voice sounded braver than she felt.

He smirked. "What I saw of you last year gave me a few ideas of things you might not like as much as I would." His voice was low and rough. Astoria felt her chest lift. He had thought of her naked? It must have been something he enjoyed because he seemed to have thought of it a few times. If there was ever a moment for Astoria to grab onto, this was it.

"I still don't think you're one to judge my likes and dislikes." She kept her gaze level and tired not to blink as Draco studied her face.

"Are you trying to provoke me, Greengrass?" His tone was almost teasing. She didn't answer, only kept her gaze fixed on his. He took a step and closed the distance between them. "Are you sure you want this, Astoria?" he asked in a husky tone.

She took another deep breath, calming her nerves, and nodded. His smirk returned. "Tell me when and where," he crooned.

"Now." Astoria replied so quickly she surprised even herself. "Emmalina's not in my dormitory. It will be private."

"More private than where you and Nott tried this two years ago?"

Astoria didn't want to turn this conversation away from her and Draco. She started walking toward the Slytherin Common Room and heard Draco's footsteps following her. As she paused to give the password, she felt him snake his arm around her waist. A slight tingling started in her lower stomach and quickly spread to her bosom. After all the time she had lusted after Draco Malfoy, she was finally going to enjoy the fantasies that she had pinned after for so long.

Before another coherent thought could cross her mind, they were in her dormitory. Draco took her book bag and dropped it in a corner along with his own. He came toward her and the moment before he touched her seemed to freeze in time.

He was much taller than her, at least a half foot, and his frame seemed to hover over her delicate one. His hands were reaching to grab her upper arms and his face was coming to meet hers. Astoria took a deep breath and couldn't help but smile. Once she did, the frozen moment came to an abrupt end.

His mouth met hers in a kiss she had dreamed about for years. Astoria felt herself begin to fall, but Draco moved his grip to her waist to keep her upright and pulled her in closer. His chest was firm and Astoria could feel her nipples go hard in lustful anticipation. Draco made a quick job of her robes and she reciprocated. Their jumpers were the next to go, pulled over their heads and quickly discarded on the floor by Astoria's bed. Their mouths met; each hungry with desire for the other. Draco's hands explored her curves and Astoria trembled under his touch. Her own hands were still, massaging his lower back and pressing him closer to her.

His breath caught and she felt a pressure against her thigh. Rejoicing that she could make the seductive man before her succumb to her will, a smile crossed her face. With new-found confidence, she reached to the bulge in his pants and began to massage him. Astoria could feel the grumble of desire deep in his chest as she worked her thumb deftly around his tip, slowly tightening her grip and feeling him grow harder in her hand.

Draco's hands went for the buttons on her blouse and he ripped her tie off before going for his own. His bare chest was a tease for Astoria and she went for the buckle of his slacks, determined to see all of him. While she fumbled with his pants, Draco moved his hands under her skirt, running his fingers over the curve of her backside, sending a shiver down Astoria's legs. When she'd finally freed the buckle, button, and zipper, Astoria lowed his trousers in a rush, kneeling before him and facing his erection for the first time.

His head was protruding, begging to be free from his boxers. She maneuvered her tiny hand inside the front opening and brought it out. Astoria had never seen a naked man before except in photos and she stared for a moment at the penis now in her hand. She felt its stiffness and ran her finger over the already wet tip. She'd heard Emmalina talk many times about what a man was like once you had his dick in your hands. Emmalina knew what a man liked, and luckily she had told Astoria.

Without another moment's hesitation, she leaned forward and kissed the side of his shaft, letting her tongue flick out of her mouth to let Draco know what she intended to do. She could feel his body relax, ready to let him enjoy her mouth. Astoria would not disappoint and took as much of him in her mouth as she was able, letting her tongue run along, around, and over every inch of him. She heard him sigh and then felt him tighten.

"Let me lay if you're going to do that." His voice was coarse and low as he brought his hand to her shoulder. She removed him from her mouth and Draco offered his hand to raise her to her feet.

When she stood, Draco slid his hands down her arms making her un-buttoned shirt fall to the floor. He turned to her bed and removed his shirt before sitting down on the edge. He needed only his eyes to beckon her to him. As she approached, Draco reclined on the bed, his head resting on her pillow, his erection towering high above his body.

Astoria climbed on the bed and knelt over him. She quickly resumed licking his shaft, spending time to kiss the sensitive tip. Remember what Emmalina had said, she reached one hand down to touch him near the base, keeping her kisses and licks around his tip. She could feel his body reacting around her, tensing and relaxing to coincide with her caresses.

He let himself enjoy her mouth for a few minutes before reaching down and firmly grabbing her wrist. Astoria's head popped up and met his eye. He pulled her wrist, forcing her to crawl towards his waiting mouth. He kissed her deeply, her frame still straddling his waist and self-supported. Astoria felt his hand slide up her thigh and under her skirt, leaving his fingers to rest on her hips, teasing the hem of her underwear. His hands moved to the zipper of her skirt and he made quick work of removing the last of her outer clothes.

Astoria wasn't anticipating the sensation of his hand firmly pressing against her most intimate of areas. Her breath caught in her throat with a gasp and Astoria felt her arms grow weak below her as she melted at the sensation no man had ever let her experience before. She let herself fall onto Draco's firm chest, where the pressure of his hand was replaced by the feeling of his penis pressed between her legs.

In one swift movement, he rolled her over onto her back and lowered himself on top of her. One hand stayed at her left hip, moving in slow circles closer and closer to her sensitive clit. His other hand stroked her right nipple, teasing it as he kissed her neck. His weight on her was a welcome feeling, reminding Astoria that what she was experiencing was not a dream, but a reality. For the first time of the many she had lived through this situation, there the weight of a man on top of her.

Draco's hand reached around her back and unhooked her bra, letting her breasts fall free. His eyes were wide as he took in the sight of her and Astoria bristled with pride at the look of hungry lust on his face. With new-found confidence, she pushed him up to his knees and hooked her thumbs in the waist of his boxers, pulling them down.

He quickly threw them to the floor and ripped Astoria's panties off of her, leaving her naked in front of him. His trademark smirk held traces of a pleased smile. Draco's head dove between her legs and Astoria couldn't silence the gasp that escaped her mouth upon feeling his warm tongue licking around her lips. She felt herself moisten and only minutes later felt close to bursting. His steady sucking on her clitoris was a feeling that before, Astoria had only dreamed of. Her eyes rolled back in her head and her head sank into the pillow, completely lost in the incredible sensation. Before her climax came, Draco's tongue left her clit and she felt his body sliding up her own. She opened her eyes to see Draco's face hovering above her.

"Have you done this before?" he asked in a gruff whisper.

She hesitated for a second, not knowing what to say. Would he run away if she said no, not wanting to be with someone so inexperienced? If she said yes, would he think this was something she did with every boy she saw?

Her hesitation seemed to enough of an indication for Draco. He nodded and reached over to his pants. When he drew his wand out of his pocket, Astoria's eyes widened for a second. He pointed it to her abdomen.

"So it won't hurt or bleed. And you won't get pregnant," he reassured her. Astoria nodded and he whispered the incantation under his breath. Though it seemed a right of passage to feel the pain of her first time, she didn't want anything to detract from how good it felt to be with Draco for the first time.

The spell cast, he cast his wand aside and turned his attention back to the naked girl before him. Slowly, he licked his way between and around her breasts. The sensation made her writhe and she could feel his hard penis pushing its way between her legs. Draco kissed her once more before lining himself up and sliding inside of her.

Astoria sighed in pleasure, glad this moment was not lost to pain and discomfort. She had never had a sensation of being full before now and she relished the feeling. Slowly, he began to slide out and in again and Astoria began to rock her hips against him. The friction on her clit felt amazing and she tensed around him. Draco, in turn, gave a deep sigh of pleasure and began to speed up his rhythm.

Before long, he was rocking her body with his insistent movements, pushing her closer and closer to the edge of consciousness. With one last push, her vision blurred and Astoria cried out, feeling herself involuntarily pulse around him. At the same moment, Astoria felt Draco tense and his seed burst into her. He released his weight on top of her and they lay there a moment, breathing hard and still intertwined.

A moment later, Draco disengaged himself from Astoria's body and reached again for his wand. Seconds later, she could feel the wetness between her legs dry, and saw the slight stain on her bed disappear as well. Draco lay back down and stared at the canopy of her bed, his face as unreadable as a stone, his gaze fixed in space.

Astoria had the fear that he would get up and leave; that this would be her last memory of him. She feared that all he had said about thinking of her was a lie to get her in bed and that this would be another story to share with Blaise and his friends.

Before her fears could get worse, Draco rolled onto his side to face her. He planted a soft kiss on her lips and whispered in her ear. "Sit with me at dinner."

It was more a command than a question, but Astoria didn't mind. A small smile played at her lips and she nodded. She had never seen Draco share a meal with a girl before, and she didn't mind being the first.

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**A/N-** And there you have it! There is no year seven, because Draco's not at school with her, so this is the ending! Many thanks to **Stromsten **for adding me to his/her favorites list and to **SnowflakeBeautiful** for a PM encouraging me to update! Even more thanks to **harrypotterchick4ever, SnowflakeBeautiful **(again), and **oh nargles** for their reviews! (Note to **oh nargles-** this story is about how they got together, not about their relationships.) And, as always, my wonderful fiance for proof reading. Enjoy!


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